Pair Production from Asymmetric Head-on Laser Collisions

TL;DR

This paper investigates electron-positron pair production in highly asymmetric laser collisions, showing how the weaker pulse's photon content and wavelength influence particle yield and energy in laboratory settings.

Contribution

It provides a non-perturbative analysis of pair production in asymmetric laser collisions, highlighting the role of pulse asymmetry and photon content in particle yield and energy.

Findings

Pair yield depends on the weaker pulse's photon content.

Wavelength and momentum asymmetry determine particle energy.

Laboratory energy of produced particles is influenced by pulse asymmetry.

Abstract

We evaluate particle production in highly asymmetric head-on collisions of lasers pulses due to non-perturbative coherent action of many photons. We obtain the yield of electron-positron pairs, which is controlled by the photon content of the weaker pulse, and show that the wavelength of the weaker pulse and the momentum asymmetry determine laboratory energy of the produced particles.